Electronic device and its fixing module capable of fastening a board

ABSTRACT

A fixing module capable of fastening a board having an engaging portion includes a bracket, an extending component, and a fixing component. The bracket has a protrusion. The extending component is used for supporting the board in a first direction. The fixing component for holding the board with the extending component includes a baseboard, an elastic hook, and a sheath. The elastic hook includes an inclined structure, a first stopper, and a second stopper. The inclined structure is connected to the baseboard. The first stopper is connected to the inclined structure for holding the board with the extension component in the first direction. The second stopper is connected to the first stopper for constraining the board in a second direction. The sheath is connected to the baseboard for holding the protrusion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fixing module, and more specifically,to a fixing module capable of fastening a board of an electronic device.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With improvements in electronic technology, traditional CRT (Cathode RayTube) display devices have been gradually replaced by LCD (LiquidCrystal Display) devices. LCD devices are also the most widely useddisplay devices so far due to the non-flicker, low radiation and smallsize features.

In common LCD products (LCD screens, LCD TVs . . . ), many PCBs (PrintedCircuit Board) are disposed therein, such as power PCBs, interface PCBs,or control PCBs. Therefore, board positioning and assembly-sequencesshould be considered while performing an assembly process. In general, acommon method involves utilizing screws. However, the said methodreduces assembly-efficiency due to its complicated lock-up process. Howto figure out a more efficient method should be a concern in modernmechanical design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention provides a fixing module to solve theproblem mentioned above.

The present invention provides a fixing module capable of fastening aboard having an engaging portion, the fixing module comprising a brackethaving a protrusion; an extending component for supporting the board ina first direction; and a fixing component for holding the board with theextending component comprising a baseboard; an elastic hook comprisingan inclined structure connected to the baseboard; a first stopperconnected to the inclined structure for holding the board with theextending component in the first direction; and a second stopperconnected to the first stopper for constraining the board in a seconddirection; and a sheath connected to the baseboard for holding theprotrusion.

The present invention further provides an electronic device comprising aboard having an engaging portion and a fixing module engaging with theengaging portion of the board. The fixing module comprises a brackethaving a protrusion, an extending component for supporting the board ina first direction, and an elastic hook. The elastic hook includes aninclined structure connected to the protrusion, a first stopperconnected to the inclined structure for holding the board with theextending component in the first direction, and a second stopperconnected to the first stopper for constraining the board in a seconddirection; wherein the engaging portion of the board is moved toward thebracket along the inclined structure until the board is fastened by thefirst stopper, the second stopper and the extending component.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram of an electronic device according to oneembodiment in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an assembly diagram of the electronic device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram of the fixing component in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram of anelectronic device 10 according to one embodiment in the presentinvention. FIG. 2 is an assembly diagram of the electronic device 10 inFIG. 1. The electronic device 10 comprises a fixing module 12 and aboard 14. The board 14 has an engaging portion 22 (e.g. a recessedportion in the embodiment), and a conductive terminal 24 is preferablyformed at a side of the engaging portion 22. The fixing module 12comprises a bracket 16, an extending component 18, and a fixingcomponent 20. The bracket 16 has a protrusion 26 with a hole 28. Theextending component 18 is disposed at the protrusion 26. The extendingcomponent 18 is used for supporting the board 14 and holding the board14 in a first direction, e.g. Z-axis direction shown in FIG. 2. Inaddition, the extending component 18 may be disposed at the fixingcomponent 20 instead. In this embodiment, the board 14 is an LCD PCB,the bracket 16 is an LCD main bracket, and the fixing component 20 ismade of metal material.

Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagram of the fixingcomponent 20 in FIG. 1. The fixing component 20 comprises a baseboard30, an elastic hook 32, and a sheath 34. The baseboard 30 and theelastic hook 32 can be monolithically formed together. The elastic hook32 comprises an inclined structure 36, a first stopper 38, and a secondstopper 40. A first end 361 of the inclined structure 36 is connected toan end of the baseboard 30. A first terminal 381 of the first stopper 38is connected to a second end 362 of the inclined structure 36. The firststopper 38 is used for holding the board 14 with the extending component18 in the first direction (Z-axis direction shown in FIG. 2). The secondstopper 40 is connected to a second terminal 382 of the first stopper38. The second stopper 40 is used for constraining the board 14 in asecond direction (e.g. X-axis direction shown in FIG. 2). The inclinedstructure 36, the first stopper 38, and the second stopper 40 arepreferably monolithically formed together. The sheath 34 is connected tothe baseboard 30, and the sheath 34 and the baseboard 30 is alsopreferably monolithically formed together. The sheath 34 comprises twoL-shaped baffles 42 and 44 for sheathing the protrusion 26 shown inFIG. 1. The fixing component 20 further comprises a protruding piece 46elastically connected to the baseboard 30 for inserting into the hole 28shown in FIG. 1 so as to further fix the relative position of the fixingcomponent 20 and the protrusion 26 shown in FIG. 2. The hole 28 and theprotruding piece 46 are optional components. That is to say, the fixingcomponent 20 may be disposed at the bracket 16 only via the connectionof the protrusion 26 and the sheath 34.

Please refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. More detailed descriptionfor assembly and disassembly of the board 14, the bracket 16, and thefixing component 20 will be provided. First, while assembling the board14, the bracket 16, and the fixing component 20, a technician can movethe sheath 34 of the fixing component 20 downward (along-Z-axisdirection shown in FIG. 1) to sheath the protrusion 26 of the bracket 16until the protruding piece 46 of the baseboard 30 inserts into the hole28 of the protrusion 26. As a result, the fixing component 20 isdisposed at the bracket 16 and two L-shaped baffles 42 and 44 of thesheath 34 surround the protrusion 26. Next, the technician moves theengaging portion 22 of the board 14 downward along the inclinedstructure 36 of the elastic hook 32 (along-Z-axis direction shown inFIG. 1) until the extending component 18 of the bracket 16 and the firststopper 38 hold the board 14 in the first direction (Z-axis direction)and the second stopper 40 abuts the engaging portion 22 of the board 14to constrain the board 14 in the second direction (Z-axis direction). Insuch a manner, the board 14 can be fixed and disposed at the bracket 16by the assembly of the engaging portion 22, the extending component 18,the first stopper 38, and the second stopper 40. Furthermore, the secondstopper 40 is made of metal material and preferably formed as a groundterminal, and the engaging portion 22 of the board 14 preferably has aconductive terminal 24 through a common tin-coating method. Therefore,when the board 14 is engaged with the fixing module 12, the conductiveterminal 24 contacting with the second stopper 40 makes a groundconnection between the board 14 and the bracket 16 at the same time. Inaddition, when the technician wants to detach the board 14 from thebracket 16, the technician just needs to exert force upon the inclinedstructure 36 or the second stopper 40 of the elastic hook 32 to releasethe engagement of the board 14 and the fixing component 20.

It should be mentioned that number of the assembly set of the engagingportion 22, the fixing component 20, and the protrusion 26 can be notlimited to one. Number of the said assembly set can be increased to makethe engagement of the board 14 and the bracket 16 more firm.

It should be understood that, in order to simply the fixing module 12,the baseboard 30 of the fixing component 20 and the protrusion 26 may becombined as one without the sheath 34, the protruding piece 46, and thehole 28 in another embodiment. The extending component 18 may be deposedeither on the bracket 16, or at the protrusion 26 and opposite to thefirst stopper 38. Besides, the protrusion 26 and the elastic hook 32 arepreferably made of metal material and monolithically formed together.Further detailed description is as same as that in the aforementionedembodiment and omitted therefore.

The present invention utilizes the engagement of the fixing componentand the bracket to simplify the assembly process. Compared with theprior art, the board can be engaged with the bracket just through movingthe engaging portion of the board downward along the inclined structureof the fixing component to engage the board with the bracket. Meanwhile,the tin-coating layer of the engaging portion of the board can beutilized to make a ground connection between the board and the bracket.In such a manner, the present invention not only avoids a complicatedlock-up process, but also achieves the purpose of quick assembly andground connection.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

1. A fixing module capable of fastening a board having an engagingportion, the fixing module comprising: a bracket having a protrusion; anextending component for supporting the board in a first direction; and afixing component for holding the board with the extending component,comprising: a baseboard; an elastic hook comprising: an inclinedstructure connected to the baseboard; a first stopper connected to theinclined structure for holding the board with the extending component inthe first direction; and a second stopper connected to the first stopperfor constraining the board in a second direction; and a sheath connectedto the baseboard for holding the protrusion.
 2. The fixing module ofclaim 1, wherein the extending component is disposed at the protrusion.3. The fixing module of claim 1, wherein the extending component isdisposed at the fixing component.
 4. The fixing module of claim 1,wherein the protrusion further has a hole and the fixing componentfurther has a protruding piece connected to the baseboard to insert intothe hole for fixing the fixing component on the protrusion.
 5. Thefixing module of claim 1, wherein the fixing component is made of metalmaterial.
 6. The fixing module of claim 1, wherein the baseboard and theelastic hook are monolithically formed.
 7. The fixing module of claim 1,wherein the sheath comprises two L-shaped baffles.
 8. The fixing moduleof claim 1, wherein the baseboard and the sheath are monolithicallyformed.
 9. The fixing module of claim 1, wherein the inclined structure,the first stopper, and the second stopper are monolithically formed. 10.The fixing module of claim 5, wherein the board is a circuit board of anelectronic device, and the second stopper is a ground terminalelectrically contacting with the engaging portion of the circuit board.11. An electronic device comprising: a board having an engaging portion;and a fixing module engaging with the engaging portion of the board, thefixing module comprising: a bracket having a protrusion; an extendingcomponent disposed on the bracket, for supporting the board in a firstdirection; and an elastic hook comprising: an inclined structureconnected to the protrusion; a first stopper connected to the inclinedstructure for holding the board with the extending component in thefirst direction; and a second stopper connected to the first stopper forconstraining the board in a second direction; wherein the engagingportion of the board is moved toward the bracket along the inclinedstructure until the board is fastened by the first stopper, the secondstopper and the extending component.
 12. The electronic device of claim11, wherein the extending component is disposed at the protrusion. 13.The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the elastic hook is made ofmetal material.
 14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein theprotrusion and the elastic hook are monolithically formed.
 15. Theelectronic device of claim 11, wherein the inclined structure, the firststopper, and the second stopper are monolithically formed.
 16. Theelectronic device of claim 13, wherein the board is a circuit board, andthe engaging portion has a conductive terminal contacting with thesecond stopper.
 17. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein thesecond stopper is a ground terminal.